《通天塔》与“Beyond”

After Babel and Beyond

斯坦纳的《通天塔之后》影响深远,在现代翻译理论发展进程中,具有举足轻重的地位。但由于内容生涩难懂,用词冷僻,在一定程度上削弱了进一步的影响力。尽管如此,即使我们承认斯坦纳欠缺原创力,但作为西方翻译思想的集大成者,其历史贡献不容抹杀。由于这部著作的扩散属性,对后来的研究者而言,进一步深入发展的空间相当可观,对当下的翻译研究的借鉴价值也不容小觑。《通天塔之后》问世以来,翻译学者就翻译的本质、规律及各种属性进行了大量的探索性工作,其中"描述翻译学"独领风骚了相当长一段时间,一度俨然成了现代翻译学的标志,影响力不可谓不大。然而局限性似乎日渐显露,面临颓势之虞。通过对斯坦纳和图里翻译理论的历史回顾与总结,可以追溯至现代翻译学的发轫,窥见到不同观点的大致轮廓,并勾勒出其发展的大致走向,从而对这个学科在现代意义上的前世今生,有一个更清晰的认识和把握。

Despite the indispensable role it played in the development of modern translation theory,George Steiner’s After Babel has been prevented by its abstruse content and obscure language from exerting further influence in recent decades.This is unfortunate,for even if we admit that Steiner lacks originality,his historical contribution as a great synthesizer of western translation thoughts cannot be ignored.And due to the diffusive attributes of this work,there is actually considerable space left for further development,which is of great value to current translation research.Since the publication of After Babel,translation scholars have done a lot of explorative work on the nature,the law and the various attributes of translation.Among them, "descriptive translation studies" led the way for quite some time,and was once a trademark of modern translation studies.However,its limitations are increasingly recognized,and it is in danger of becoming totally obsolete.Through a historical review of Steiner ’ s and Toury’s translation theories,we can trace back to the beginning of modern translation studies,making sense of different views and outlining the general trend of its development,so that a clearer understanding and a firmer grasp can be acquired of the past and the present of this discipline in its modern sense.